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Airy, Stylish, And Contemporary Asian Wedding Inspiration

July 31, 2021 | riley

Here at Junebug, we love being able to share love of all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, and ages. So when Heather Sham Photography sent us this contemporary Asian wedding inspiration shoot she put together with videographer Hanh Made Films, we were excited, to say the least. 

The two South-East Asian wedding vendors wanted to share Asian culture while highlighting other Asian wedding vendors. Thus the shoot was born. From the Chinese tea ceremony to signage with Chinese proverbs, every detail was carefully curated to represent the culture that they are so proud of. To say they nailed it is an understatement. This modern inspiration features incredible wedding fashion, detailed decor, and sunlit moments that transport you right into the venue. And don’t get us started on the carefully coordinated ceremony backdrop—keep scrolling to see what we mean.

When it comes to styled shoots, we love asking the vendors what their inspiration was, and here’s what Heather had to say about it:

Heather Sham Photography On The Inspiration Behind The Shoot

As South-East Asian wedding professionals, Hanh and I are very passionate about representing Asian culture, faces in the wedding industry, and uplifting other Asian wedding suppliers. We wanted to showcase an Asian wedding in an inspirational,  stylish, and contemporary way for couples planning their fusion weddings to allow the culture to be seen.

Our modern Asian wedding shoot brings a sophisticated, fresh, and updated approach to traditional elements you would expect from a Chinese or Vietnamese wedding. We used peach, mauve, and pinks instead of the traditional red for a modern and romantic look. Then, we incorporated gold for a luxurious and ‘lucky’ feel. The gold is woven in the stationery, embroidery, cake, and furniture.

Recommended Reading: The Dreamy Unconventional Colorful Suit Round Up

Recommended Reading: 7 Wedding Signs You Definitely Need At Your Wedding

Modernizing the Chinese Tea Ceremony

For the Chinese tea ceremony set up, we styled it using the traditional components of two chairs, cushions, and a tea set but also added unexpected elements, such as florals on the frame, a bamboo screen, and a handwritten sign with a Chinese proverb. We wanted to inspire couples to embrace an age-old tradition of exchanging tea with their elders on their wedding day by making it feel pretty and romantic.

Recommended Reading: 7 Creative Ceremony Backdrops to Wow Your Wedding Guests

Incorporating Chinese Symbols Throughout The Contemporary Asian Wedding

The Chinese double happiness symbol seen throughout the shoot represents double the joy and happiness for the newlyweds. It can be seen embroidered into the groom’s socks and pocket square and also in the stationery. It’s a positive reminder of the journey our couple is taking together. It’s an inspiration for the different ways in which this symbol can be weaved into a wedding.

The Talented Team:

Photography – Heather Sham
Event Planning – Anemone
Venue – Core Clapton
Floral Design – Catherine Short Floral Design
Cake – Amalina Bakes
Videography – Hanh Made Films
Invitation Design – Jo Studio Design
Makeup Artist & Hair Styling – Julie W Hair & Makeup
Wedding Dress – Love Spell Design
Groom’s Apparel – Suit Direct
Signs – Bewilderly
Embroidery – Tabitha Textiles
Origami Paper Artist – Storyigami
Furniture + Cutlery – Ya Hire
Metal Frame For Sign – Wilderness Prop Hire
Rentals – Rock the Day

 

Thank you to Heather Sham Photography for organizing and sharing this contemporary Asian wedding inspiration with us! We love the way they carefully transformed special wedding traditions to better fit a more modern aesthetic. We hope this inspires more couples to do the same and break the molds of wedding traditions

If you’re struggling to break down traditions while still celebrating your unique backgrounds, get started with our unique wedding planning guide.  

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Beautifully Modern and Urban Calile Hotel Micro Wedding

July 30, 2021 | riley

After multiple date changes and a last minute venue change to accommodate COVID restrictions, Caity and James celebrated their love in a stylishly urban Calile Hotel micro wedding. Despite the challenges of planning four separate weddings, their day couldn’t have worked out more perfectly—thanks to the help of their incredible wedding vendor team

We particularly love the florals, which were a creative mix of fresh and dried flowers. Meanwhile, Caity wore a stunning fitted gown with a playful sheer bodice and a long dramatic train. To top it all off, the cityscape backdrop delicately complemented the beachy look and feel of their decor, adding to the brilliance of their day. 

This day is stunning but it’s especially impressive when you find out this wedding was put together in less than ten days. But don’t just take our word for it. Keep scrolling to see the perfect combination of urban and modern with hints of tropical.

The Couple:

Caity and James

The Wedding:

Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Every Challenge Brought Them To A Calile Hotel Micro Wedding

At the time and given the situation with our wedding having previously been postponed, we would have gone almost anywhere! In hindsight, we loved the Calile Hotel for their impeccable service, and high-quality food and drink. The venue itself is beautiful, and created a timeless backdrop for photographs. We did not need to lift a single finger the entire time, it was a seamless event. The Calile was fantastic. It all worked out so perfectly.

The Golden Ticket

The people we planned to sign our wedding certificate were stuck in Melbourne and London because of lockdowns. Then, James thought it would be fun to hide two golden tickets under random seats in order to select two guests to sign our marriage certificate. To be honest, I was worried it was going to be very cringe-worthy, but everyone absolutely loved it, and got very into it! 

Their Favorite Memory of the Day

We had the best day because above all else we got to say our heartfelt vows to each other, declare our love publicly, get some great photos, and have a drink to celebrate with our loved ones. What more can you ask for?

The Wedding Day Menu

After the ceremony, our family joined us for a small banquet dinner with a full selection of wines.  It was better than we could have ever imagined. The service of the staff was flawless. We still receive comments about the food and my parents returned to buy more wine the next day!

Wedding Planning Advice

If planning four weddings taught us anything, it’s that the details don’t always matter! It’s so easy to spend thousands of dollars and become so stressed over tiny details that no one will remember. In the end, our wedding didn’t have any of these things and we honestly didn’t even notice. 

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Evernew Studio
Event Planning + Rentals – With Love – Brisbane Wedding Decorators
Ceremony + Reception Venue – The Calile Hotel Amphitheater
Floral Design – Kate Dawes Flower Design
Cake – Bella and Tortie
Officiant – Wedded by Kate
Live Music – Liam Griffin Music
Makeup Artist – KM Make up Studios
Hair Styling – The Hairpin
Wedding Dress – Jeannelle La Amour Bridal from the Veil Collective
Groom’s Apparel – MJ Bale

 

Congratulations to Caity and James on their Calile Hotel micro wedding! A special thank you to Junebug members With Love – Brisbane Wedding Decorators for sharing this day with us. To see more of their incredible work, check out their profile in our exclusive member directory. Then, get started planning your own micro wedding.

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Wedding Photographer Cost, Hiring Schedule, And…Everything Else

July 30, 2021 | riley

image by Hotzel Photography | see more of her work here

We’ve seen a lot of panic-inducing posts online about how couples need to book their vendors immediately if they want to have a chance of their dream wedding—even if their big day isn’t happening for two more years. These posts raised our blood pressure. We hated them. Then we thought about all of the couples planning a wedding celebration worthy of their love, and we got a little upset. Okay, we actually got very upset. 

We’re here to set the record straight about hiring your wedding photographer. Everything you need to know from wedding photographer cost to the reasons why you should hire a professional. We’ve also included the timeline of when you should hire your wedding photographer—because that seems to be adding to the confusion. 

If you’re new around here, hi. We’re Junebug Weddings. We’re so excited that you’re here. Our goal is to help demystify the wedding planning process and make sure that your wedding is the best day of your life. We do that with a mix of Junebug-approved wedding vendors and wedding planning information. No question is too big or too small for us to help. We just love love. So, with that in mind, let’s get started with what you need to know about hiring your wedding photographer

image by Jordan Voth

Wedding Photographer Hiring Timeline

First things first, get your wedding budget together. You can’t plan for a wedding photographer cost without knowing your budget! Once you’ve decided on your budget, the date, and your venue or general location, it’s time to start reaching out to photographers you admire. Depending on when you start planning, this could be 13 months in advance. That’s perfectly fine. Most professional wedding photographers do book that far in advance and they’ll appreciate the gesture of you reaching out early. Early planning is always a good idea.

For some couples, they have one very specific photographer they want to work with. The date they say “I do’s” matters less to them than their photographer. If that’s how you feel, reach out to them as early as possible for their availability. 

While there isn’t necessarily a rule about when to reach out to your wedding photographer, the sooner you do it, the better. If you’re planning on a shorter timeline, be prepared to speak to a few different photographers before you confirm the one. These folks are in high demand.

Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

Wait, what if you don’t already have a photographer in mind? No sweat! We’ve got you covered. You can choose your wedding photographer with these six easy steps. Then, start reaching out to them. Websites like Junebug Weddings’ Vendor Directory make it easy to submit requests to wedding photographers you admire. Many of these sites will estimate the wedding photographer cost, though most won’t. 

You can also utilize inspiration from social media like Instagram and Pinterest to look through the portfolios of wedding photographers that you like. If a specific style of photography is calling out to you, be sure to mention that when you speak with them

A Few Questions For Your Wedding Photographer

  • Does your business have insurance? Not every venue requires this, but many do require that all vendors have proof of insurance
  • What is your expected turnaround time for our photos?
  • Can we see a sample of a full wedding gallery?

If you’re unsure of what else to ask, we’ve got a more comprehensive list of questions to ask your wedding photographer here.

What Does a Wedding Photographer Cost?

As you’ve likely noticed during your wedding planning journey, the wedding photographer cost depends! But that answer isn’t helpful. So let’s break it down. Your wedding photographer cost will range anywhere from $600 to $10,000. Again, that is quite a range and isn’t very helpful. Here are some of the details that go into the price.

  • a pre-wedding photography session — some photographers offer this as a way to get to know you before your wedding day while still documenting your love story. Your photographer isn’t just another vendor, and they might want to know your relationship beforehand
  • a second shooter —  the day goes by fast. Some photographers will want to bring a second shooter to ensure they don’t miss a single moment
  • editing — editing the thousands of photos captured from your wedding day takes time. You don’t want the raw images, those won’t ever be as brilliant as the ones your photographer spends time editing
  • experience — the experience that your photographer brings to the table makes a difference. Keep in mind that they’re their own small business and they price themselves accordingly, so you don’t need to negotiate with them
  • travel — if you’re hiring a photographer that isn’t local or you’re opting to bring a local one with you to your destination wedding, you should expect to pay for their travel. If you don’t discuss this, they’ll still likely include it in their contract 
  • your wedding size — an elopement with three people (you, your partner, and the photographer) will cost less than a large wedding with hundreds of guests. When your wedding photographer asks for the size of your wedding, don’t be caught off guard
  • hours of wedding day coverage — the amount of time your wedding photographer will spend with you impacts how much they’ll charge. Capturing images of you getting ready with the wedding party, the ceremony, the arrival of your family and friends, portraits, dinner, the reception, and your final exit all take time

When Should I Expect Images

This will also depend on your photographer and the season you’re getting married in. If you’re getting married in peak wedding season—typically May to October—your photographer will be shooting weddings and couple sessions nearly every weekend. They plan accordingly, but that’s a lot of images for them to edit each week. 

Most photographers will send a handful of sneak peek images in the weeks immediately after your wedding. But it’s normal for it to take around six to eight weeks to get your wedding images back. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Take this time to enjoy your honeymoon and settle into married life. Then, when you get that exciting email from your photographer that your images are ready, grab a box of tissues and get ready to relive every second of that day. It’s worth the wait. We promise.  

Whether you’re planning on eloping in Las Vegas or hosting a 300-person destination wedding, there’s a lot of work that goes into planning your perfect wedding. Once you’ve confirmed your wedding photographer, it’s time to get your wedding planner. Get prepared for those conversations with our wedding planning timeline. Above all, don’t forget to enjoy the process. And in case you haven’t heard it enough, congratulations!

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